1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to door lock apparatus, and particularly to mounting of the door strike for a deadbolt security lock.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The door frame and jamb assemblies of residential dwellings and some commercial buildings are typically constructed at least partially of wood. Such assemblies have proven to be susceptible to unauthorized entry by component failure of the jamb/strike components. Typically a metal strike plate is mounted with screws to the jamb portion of the door frame. The strike plate receives the deadbolt when the latter is thrown to the extended lock position. Such strike plates are typically attached with only two screws, while the door hinges on the opposite edge of the door are mounted with at least six screws. Consequently, the edge of the door on which the lock is mounted is the weaker side. In the typical installation, an intruder may apply a moderate amount of force to the weaker edge of the door using a pry bar. The result of this action may include cracks propagating in the wood door frame and or jamb, or the bending of the attachment. Both results allow the screws to fall out and release the door.
This problem is compounded by the fact that the door frame itself may be constructed from relatively thin wood which is inserted into the support framing and nailed thereto. This design creates two additional problems. First, there is usually a space left between the support framing and the door frame. When screws are inserted through the door frame, they must extend through the open space before engaging the support frame. The space left between the door frame and the support framing creates the possibility that the door frame can be split and the screws readily bent when an intruder applies prying force to the locked door.
Prior art latches have addressed this problem but have failed to provide a rigid unitary strike which spans both the inner bolt and door stop portion of a door jamb and also provide a plurality of anchor pins.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,550,939, issued to John H. Babb, Jr. on Nov. 5, 1985, discloses a Security Strike Assembly which includes a strike plate that is mounted directly on a door framing by rigid bushings and mating screws. The bushing, extending from an interior surface of the strike plate, are closely received in holes drilled into the door framing. Each screw extends through a mating aperture in the strike plate, through a central aperture of a bushing, and into the door frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,399, issued to David E. Gehrke on Jan. 13, 1987, discloses a Door Jamb Support which includes an L-shaped reinforcing plate having a recessed portion with an opening therethrough positioned to be in alignment with a door latch on a door, a strike plate positionable within the recessed portion having an opening therethrough in alignment with the opening in the reinforcing support plate, and an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the position of the strike plate opening with respect to the support plate opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,809,400, issued to Mark L. Allen on Mar. 7, 1989, discloses Security Hardware for Doors which includes a flat piece of metal bent into a J-shaped member and secured to the door jamb. The J-shaped member includes a pair of aligned buck pin apertures provided in the overlapping spaced apart portion of the J-shaped element. A separate buck pin is inserted through each of the apertures and into the wall structure beyond a door frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,384, issued to James E. Blankenship on Aug. 22, 1989, discloses a Door Jamb Reinforcement Plate which includes an elongated support plate having an L-shaped cross section with a first side to overlap the inside of a door jamb, and a plurality of vertically arrayed punch-out tabs located along a length of the first side that may be selectively punched out to facilitate alignment with the striker or bolt of each door lock.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,070,650, issued to Edward R. Anderson on Dec. 10, 1991, discloses a Door Jamb Reinforcing Apparatus which includes a first and a second flat elongated plate. The first plate is adapted for mounting flush with a portion of the inner bolt receiving face of a door jamb. The second plate has an L-shaped configuration and has one side adapted to overlie the first plate.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,127,690, issued to Kenneth Kim et al. on Jul. 7, 1992, discloses a Door Safety Striker Plate Assembly which includes a striker plate secured to the jamb, overlapping adjustable plates secured to the door stop or jamb shoulder, means carried on the adjustable plates to allow adjustment of these plates to width of the door stop, and stabilizing means interconnecting the adjustable plates.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.